Re: NEC-LIST: Re: Plasma Antennas

In a message dated 5/12/2004 12:42:06 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
jasper.vandergraaff_at_nl.thalesgroup.com writes:

> Plasma antenna technology looks to be very interesting, with a number of
> advantages over normal antennas

I would be most interested in a bulleted list. Here's what it looks like from
here:

Advantages

*Little RCS when not being used

Disadvantages
 
* Requires independent power to make the antenna work--an 'active antenna'
for transmit;
* ALL plasmas emit bremsstrahlung*. That is the physics of ionization and
recombination. Therefore the plasma antenna radiates unmodulated RF even when
not excited, thereby raising the noise floor for receive and producing a
wideband source when on,that is easy to hone in;
* Plasma antennas are intrinsically inefficient, at a level of 1-5%
efficiency typical;

Did I miss something? I am genuinely interested in a correction to my
understanding should it be wrong. Citations would be most welcome for correction.

Many thanks,

Chip N1IR

* Excellent intro reference on plasma radiation properties is: "Radiation
Properties in Astrophysics", W. Tucker. MIT Press, 1975 (w/ later reprints). See,
especially, chapters 5 and 6.

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